Body construction for baby carriages and the like



P 1936- M. E. BERRY 2,055,890

BODY CONSTRUCTION FOR BABY CARRIAGES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan: 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l l iat/"me Z ATTORNEY-S M. E. BERRY 2,055,890

BODY CONSTRUCTION FOR BABY CARRIAGES AND THE LIKE Sept. 29, 1936.

Filed Jan. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fi fiadfaiaarifiery \f r mz w I ATTORNEY/5 Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE BODY CONSTRUCTION FOR BABi LIKE CABRIAGES ANDTHE Michael Edward Berry, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The American National Company,

Toledo,

This invention relates generally to bodies for juvenile vehicles and refers more particularly to bodies for baby carriages.

One of the principal objects of this invention 6 is to reduce the cost of manufacture, as well as the weight of vehicles of the type previously set forth, by simplifying the construction of the body and reducing the number of parts involved to a minimum. Minimizing the number of parts em- 10 ployed correspondingly reduces the weight and number of operations required in production and thereby effects a reduction in cost of manufacture.

This invention contemplates reducing the 15 weight as well as the cost of manufacture by providing a light durable skeleton frame of unitary construction and by providing relatively light gage side panels preferably formed from sheet metal.

so A further advantageous feature of this invention which contributes materially to expediting assembly of the body resides in the provision of a construction of the foregoing character wherein the front and rear end panels as well as the 25 opposite side panels of the body are formed of a single piece of sheet metal of a sufliciently light gage as to permit the same to be bent or formed around the frame. In other words, in manufacturing the body the unitary frame may be em- 30 ployed as a form for the body panels and as a consequence the expense of prefashioning the panels prior to assembly is eliminated.

With the foregoing, as well as other features in view the invention resides in the peculiar con- 85 struction of the body and this will be made more apparent as the description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a baby 40 carriage having a body constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the rear end of the baby carriage, with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through 45 the body of the carriage;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the unitary 60 body frame;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the panels secured to the frame;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 56 'l-l of Figure 1.

For the purpose of illustration, I have shown my invention as employed in association with a baby carriage and the particular type of carriage selected is designated generally in Figure 1, by the reference character Ill. The carriage l comprises a chassis II and a body I2 suspended from the chassis through the medium of suitable coil springs I3. Although any particular type of chassis design may be employed in combination with my improved body construction, never- 10 theless for the purpose of simplicity the chassis illustrated is identical in construction to the one forming the subject matter of my copending ap plication Serial No. 707,834 and filed at an even date herewith. Inasmuch as the chassis Ii is 1 described in detail in the aforesaid copending application, the present case will not be complicated by a duplicate description of the chassis.

Referring now more in detail to the particular construction of the body, it will be noted that the same comprises a skeleton frame it of unitary construction and a sheet metal covering ii for the frame. As shown particularly in Figure 5, the frame It comprises an upper section- It and a lower section ll secured to the upper section at spaced points through the medium of a plurality of pillars It. The lower section II comprises opposite side sills l8 secured in lateral spaced relationto each other by the end cross members I! and by the intermediate cross members 20. The upper section I6 is of somewhat similar construction in that it is also provided with side sills 2| having the ends interconnected by the cross members 22. The pillars I8 arev secured at opposite ends to the sections in such a manner as to not interfere with the application of the sheet metal covering l5 and if desired the corners of the skeleton frame may be rounded as at 23 in order to impart a pleasing curvature to the comers of the completed body structure.

The covering l5 for the frame unit I6 comprises a single piece of sheet metal of suilicient length to form the opposite side panels 24 and the opposite end panels 25. The gage of the sheet metal covering I5 is such as to permit the same to be bent around the exterior of the frame It to assume the contour defined by the exterior surfaces of the two frame sections it and I1. As shown the body and these ends are welded or otherwise permanently joined together. The upper edge of the covering I5 is encircled by a molding 26 and the latter together with the adjacent portions of the covering is secured to the frame section l6 by means of suitable fastener elements 21. The lower marginal edge of the covering material l extends a substantial distance below the bottom of the frame section l1 and is inwardly return-bent to form a reinforcing bead 23.

The flooring for the carriage is supported by the frame section I! and as shown in Figure 3, comprises a pair of end plates 23 arranged in cooperative relation to a central plate 30. The central plate 30 is removable and normally forms a closure for a suitable storage compartment 3| located below the plane of the fioor within the confines of the covering material I! so as to be concealed thereby. The compartment 3| may also be formed from sheet metal stamping having the front and rear walls secured to the inner sides of the cross members 20 and having the adjacent side walls secured to the inner side portions of the sills extending between the cross members 20. The central plate or closure 30 for the compartment merely rests upon the upper surfaces of the cross members 20 and the corresponding surfaces of the portions of the side sills extending between the latter members. The plates 29 are rigidly fixed to the frame section I1 and, as shown in Figure 3, the inner edges of the plates are secured to the upper surfaces of the cross members 20 while the rear edges of the plates are secured to the upper surfaces of the end cross members l9.

The interior of the carriage is upholstered by a suitable covering material 3| and a padding 32 disposed between the material and the sheet metal covering l 5. As shown in Figure 4, the lower edge of the covering material 3| is tacked or otherwise secured to the upper surface of the frame section I l and the upper edge of the upholstering material is extended over the top frame section ii to the side edges of the molding 26 to which it is secured by a suitable finishing strip 33. Of course sufficient padding 32 is disposed between the upholstering material 3| and paneling l5 to prevent any danger of contact with the frame I4.

In some carriage constructions it is desirable to provide for extending the capacity of the same and this is accomplished in the present instance by forming an opening 36 in the rear panel of the body. The opening 36 is of sufficient size to peraosaaao mit extending the feet of the occupant therethrough and is normally closed by means of a door 31 hinged at its lower edge to the frame it for outward swinging movement. The inner side of the door is upholstered as at 38 in order to conform with the remainder of the body when in the closed position thereof, and the side edges, as well as the swinging edge of the door, are connected to the interior of the body by suitable flexible material 39 so as to protect the occupant's feet from exposure whenextended through the opening 33. The door 31 is normally maintained in its closed position by means of a latch member 40 fixed to the exterior side of the door and engageable with a suitable keeper ll carried by the upper frame section l6.

Thus from the foregoing, it will be seen-that I have provided a relative simple and inexpensive body construction composed of a relatively few light parts cooperating with each other to form a durable unitary construction. It should also be understood that the principle involved herein may be advantageously employed in association with juvenile vehicle bodies other than baby car riages and reservation is made to make such changes in the construction as may come within the purview of the accompanying claim.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a baby carriage body, a pair of vertically spaced substantially horizontal frames, an upright panel upon the outer sides of and secured to said vertically spaced frames, said upright panel being U-shaped and opening rearwardly, the lower frame being intermediate the lower and upper edges of the upright panel, and the upper frame being adjacent the upper edge of said upright panel, padding upon the inner face of said upright panel, said padding extending upwardly from a point adjacent the lower frame to a point adjacent the upper frame, a covering material extending upwardly from the lower edge of said padding over the inner face thereof and laterally outwardly over the upper edges of said upright panel, said covering material being turned down outside said upright panel, and securing elements extending through the downturned portion of said covering material and engaging said upright panel.

MICHAEL EDWARD BERRY. 

